Retrospective Database Analysis Research Articles

Temporal trends, in-hospital outcomes, and risk factors of acute myocardial infarction among patients with epilepsy in the United States: a retrospective national database analysis from 2008 to 2017

BackgroundThe relationship between epilepsy and risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is not fully understood. Evidence from the Stockholm Heart Study indicates that the risk of AMI is increased in people with epilepsy. This study aims to analyze the temporal trends in prevalence, adverse clinical outcomes, and risk factors of AMI in patients with epilepsy (PWE).MethodsPatients aged 18 years or older, diagnosed with epilepsy with or without AMI and hospitalized from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2017, were identified from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. The Cochran–Armitage trend test and logistic regressions were conducted using SAS 9.4. Odds ratios (ORs) were generated for multiple variables.ResultsA total of 8,456,098 inpatients were eligible for our analysis, including 181,826 comorbid with AMI (2.15%). The prevalence of AMI diagnosis in PWE significantly increased from 1,911.7 per 100,000 hospitalizations in 2008 to 2,529.5 per 100,000 hospitalizations in 2017 (Ptrend < 0.001). Inpatient mortality was significantly higher in epilepsy patients with AMI compared to those without AMI (OR = 4.61, 95% CI: 4.54 to 4.69). Factors significantly associated with AMI in PWE included age (≥75 years old vs. 18 ~ 44 years old, OR = 3.54, 95% CI: 3.45 to 3.62), atherosclerosis (OR = 4.44, 95% CI: 4.40 to 4.49), conduction disorders (OR = 2.21, 95% CI: 2.17 to 2.26), cardiomyopathy (OR = 2.11, 95% CI: 2.08 to 2.15), coagulopathy (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.49 to 1.54), dyslipidemia (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.24 to 1.27), peptic ulcer disease (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.33), chronic kidney disease (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.22 to 1.25), smoking (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.18 to 1.21), and weight loss (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.18 to 1.22).ConclusionThe prevalence of AMI in PWE increased during the decade. Mortality rates were high among this population, highlighting the need for comprehensive attention to prophylaxis for risk factors and early diagnosis of AMI in PWE by physicians.

Fluoroquinolones-related psychiatric adverse events: a real‑world retrospective and pharmacovigilance database analysis

ABSTRACT Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacovigilance and clinical characteristics of psychiatric adverse events(AEs) related to Fluoroquinolones(FQs), and to determine the risk factors for timely management. Methods Data about AE reporting comes from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database, which was used for pharmacovigilance assessments. In addition, we also analyzed the cases of psychiatric AEs related to FQs retrospectively. Results Both of the FAERS database analysis and literature reports show that the proportion of FQs-related psychiatric AEs reported in females were higher (51.11% VS 33.44% and 53.23% VS 46.77%). Both of them show that the proportion of psychiatric AEs caused by FQs was higher in the age groups of 19–44 (28.08% and 40.32%) and 45–64 (28.17% and 25.81%). Most psychiatric AEs occurred within 10 days after FQs administration. Literature shows that 67.74% of the psychiatric AEs disappeared within 3 days after drug withdrawal (some cases were accompanied by other drug). Conclusion Psychiatric AEs caused by FQs are serious, and there are many important safety signals that have not been mentioned in the label or previous studies. It is very important to identify and manage psychiatric AEs in time for the safe use of FQs.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio associated with 28-day all-cause mortality in septic patients with coronary artery disease: a retrospective analysis of MIMIC-IV database

BackgroundHigh Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (MLR), Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) were associated with worse prognosis of patients with sepsis. In-hospital mortality has been reported to be higher in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and sepsis than those with sepsis alone. However, the relationship between NLR, MLR, PLR and mortality in septic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) remains unclear. The study aimed to explore the association between NLR, MLR, PLR and 28-day all-cause mortality in septic patients with CAD.MethodsWe performed an observational cohort study of septic patients with CAD from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database between 2008 and 2019. The patients were categorized by three group (Q1: low levels, Q2: medium levels, Q3: high levels) based on tertiles of NLR, MLR, and PLR. The associations between NLR, MLR, PLR and 28-day all-cause mortality were examined using the Cox proportional hazards model. Subsequently, we applied receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for predicting 28-day mortality in septic patients with CAD by combining NLR, MLR and PLR with the modified sequential organ failure assessment (mSOFA) scores.ResultsOverall 1,175 septic patients with CAD were included in the study. Observed all-cause mortality rates in 28 days were 27.1%. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis results showed that 28-day all-cause mortality of septic patients with CAD was significantly related to rising NLR levels (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–1.02; P < 0.001), MLR levels (aHR: 1.29; 95%CI: 1.18–1.41; P < 0.001), and PLR levels (aHR: 1.0007; 95%CI: 1.0004–1.0011; P < 0.001). Meanwhile, the higher levels (Q3) group of NLR, MLR, and PLR also had a higher risk of 28-day all-cause mortality than the lower (Q1) group. The area under the ROC curve of NLR, MLR, PLR, and mSOFA score were 0.630 (95%CI 0.595–0.665), 0.611 (95%CI 0.576–0.646), 0.601 (95%CI 0.567–0.636) and 0.718 (95%CI 0.689–0.748), respectively. Combining NLR, MLR, and PLR with mSOFA scores may improve ability of predicting 28-day mortality (AUC: 0.737, 95%CI 0.709–0.766).ConclusionHigher levels of NLR, MLR and PLR were associated with 28-day all-cause mortality in septic patients with CAD. Further investigation will be needed to improve understanding of the pathophysiology of this relationship.

Esophagogastric cancer surgery characteristics and outcomes in bariatric patients, compared with non-bariatric patients.

The association between bariatric surgery and esophagogastric cancer (EGC) is debated. This study aimed to assess EGC characteristics and surgery outcomes comparing bariatric and non-bariatric patients. Single-center retrospective analysis of prospective EGC surgery database. EGC-surgery was performed in 269 patients, classified as bariatric (N.=10, 3.3%), and non-bariatric (N.=259, 96.6%) groups. Non-bariatric group was sub-classified into body mass index (BMI) <35 kg/m2 (N.=244) and >35 kg/m2 (N.=15). BMI was 35.3±5.6 vs. 25.7±16.1 and 37.8±8.7 kg/m2 in bariatric vs. non-bariatric-BMI <35 and >35, respectively (P<0.001). Bariatric patients were significantly younger (56.75±11 vs. 71±10 and 68.38±8.2 years; P<0.001). They tended to have lower rates of diabetes mellitus (30% vs. 43.9% and 73.3%; P=0.05) and significantly lower hypertension rates (50%, vs.86.5% and 93.3%, P<0.004). Bariatric procedures were performed 11.3 years (IQR 5.5-16.5) prior to EGC-surgery. Tumor characteristics were statistically comparable except a significantly higher number of positive LN in the bariatric group (6.9±13.6 vs. 2.7±4.9 and 1.9±4.8; P=0.006), and more bariatric patients received adjuvant treatment (P=0.035). Postoperative major complication rates (0% vs. 25.8%, and 33.3%; P=0.14) and length of hospital stay (14.1±15.3, vs. 23±28.5, and 21±18 days; P=0.59) were comparable. There was no significant difference in Disease- free survival (P=0.42) or overall survival (P=0.48) between patient-groups. Bariatric patients were diagnosed with EGC at a younger age, and tended to have worse nodal involvement. Although outcomes were comparable, clinical and endoscopic surveillance seem important as EGC can occur 10 years or earlier than in non-bariatric patients.

Healthcare resource utilization and costs associated with hepatitis A in the United States: a retrospective database analysis

Aim To investigate hepatitis A-related healthcare resource use and costs in the US. Methods The Merative Marketscan Commercial Claims and Encounters database was retrospectively analyzed for hepatitis A-related inpatient, outpatient, and emergency department (ED) claims from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2018. We calculated the hepatitis A incidence proportion per 100,000 enrollees, healthcare resource utilization, and costs (in 2020 USD). Results were stratified by age, gender, and select comorbidities. Results The overall hepatitis A incidence proportion was 6.1 per 100,000 enrollees. Among individuals with ≥1 hepatitis A-related claim, the majority (92.6%) had ≥1 outpatient visit related to hepatitis A; 9.1% were hospitalized and 4.2% had ≥1 ED visit. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) length of hospital stay was 5.2 (8.1) days; the mean (SD) number of outpatient and ED visits were 1.3 (1.3) and 1.1 (0.6), respectively. The incidence proportion per 100,000 was higher among adults than children (7.5 vs. 1.5), individuals with HIV than those without (126.7 vs. 5.9), and individuals with chronic liver disease than those without (143.6 vs. 3.8). The total mean (SD)/median (interquartile range, IQR) per-patient cost for hepatitis A-related care was $2,520 ($10,899)/$156 ($74-$529) and the mean cost of hospitalization was 18.7 times higher than that of outpatient care ($17,373 vs. $928). Limitations The study data included only a commercially insured population and may not be representative of all individuals. Conclusions In conclusion, hepatitis A is associated with a substantial economic burden among privately insured individuals in the US.

Factors Influencing Neuromuscular Blockade Reversal Choice in the United States Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Retrospective Longitudinal Analysis.

Neuromuscular blockade (NMB) agents are a critical component of balanced anesthesia. NMB reversal methods can include spontaneous reversal, sugammadex, or neostigmine and the choice of reversal strategy can depend on various factors. Unanticipated changes to clinical practice emerged due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a better understanding of how NMB reversal trends were affected by the pandemic may help provide insight into how providers view the tradeoffs in the choice of NMB reversal agents. We aim to analyze NMB reversal agent use patterns for US adult inpatient surgeries before and after the COVID-19 outbreak to determine whether pandemic-related practice changes affected use trends. A retrospective longitudinal analysis of a large all-payer national electronic US health care database (PINC AI Healthcare Database) was conducted to identify the use patterns of NMB reversal during early, middle, and late COVID-19 (EC, MC, and LC, respectively) time periods. Factors associated with NMB reversal choices in inpatient surgeries were assessed before and after the COVID-19 pandemic reached the United States. Multivariate logistic regression assessed the impact of the pandemic on NMB reversal, accounting for patient, clinical, procedural, and site characteristics. A counterfactual framework was used to understand if patient characteristics affected how COVID-19-era patients would have been treated before the pandemic. More than 3.2 million inpatients experiencing over 3.6 million surgical procedures across 931 sites that met all inclusion criteria were identified between March 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021. NMB reversal trends showed a steady increase in reversal with sugammadex over time, with the trend from January 2018 onwards being linear with time (R2>0.99). Multivariate analysis showed that the post-COVID-19 time periods had a small but statistically significant effect on the trend, as measured by the interaction terms of the COVID-19 time periods and the time trend in NMB reversal. A slight increase in the likelihood of sugammadex reversal was observed during EC relative to the pre-COVID-19 trend (odds ratio [OR] 1.008, 95% CI 1.003-1.014; P=.003), followed by negation of that increase during MC (OR 0.992, 95% CI 0.987-0.997; P<.001), and no significant interaction identified during LC (OR 1.001, 95% CI 0.996-1.005; P=.81). Conversely, active reversal (using either sugammadex or neostigmine) did not show a significant association relative to spontaneous reversal, or a change in trend, during EC or MC (P>.05), though a slight decrease in the active reversal trend was observed during LC (OR 0.987, 95% CI 0.983-0.992; P<.001). We observed a steady increase in NMB active reversal overall, and specifically with sugammadex compared to neostigmine, during periods before and after the COVID-19 outbreak. Small, transitory alterations in the NMB reversal trends were observed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, though these alterations were independent of the underlying NMB reversal time trends.

Is intraoperative parathyroid monitoring during minimally invasive parathyroidectomy still justified?

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is the third most common endocrine disease. With parathyroidectomy, a cure rate of over 95% at initial surgery is reported. Localization of the abnormal parathyroid gland is critical for the operation to be successful. The aim of this study is to analyze data of patients with single gland disease (SGD) and positive concordant localization imaging undergoing minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP) and intraoperative parathyroid hormone monitoring (IOPTH) to evaluate if IOPTH is still justified in patients with localized SGD. A retrospective database analysis of all minimally invasive operations with IOPTH for PHPT and positive concordant localization in ultrasound (US) and 99mTc-sestamibi scintigraphy (MIBI) between 2016-2021. When both US and MIBI were negative, patients underwent either choline or methionine PET-CT. The patients were also analyzed a second time without applying IOPTH. In total, 198 patients were included in the study. The sensitivity of US, MIBI and PET-CT was 96%, 94% and 100%, respectively. Positive predictive value was 88%, 89% and 94% with US, MIBI and PET-CT, respectively. IOPTH was true positive in 185 (93.4%) patients. In 13 (6.6%) patients, no adequate IOPTH decline was observed after localizing and extirpating the assumed enlarged parathyroid gland. Without IOPTH, the cure rate decreased from 195 (98.5%) to 182 (92%) patients and the rate of persisting disease increased from 2 (1.0%) to 15 (7.5%) patients. Discontinuing IOPTH significantly increases the persistence rate by a factor of 7.5 in patients with concordantly localized adenoma. Therefore, IOPTH appears to remain necessary even for this group of patients.

Ventricular assist device support in paediatric patients with restrictive cardiomyopathy-clinical outcomes and haemodynamics.

Restrictive cardiomyopathy is rare and is generally associated with worse clinical outcomes compared to other cardiomyopathies. Ventricular assist device (VAD) support for these children is seldom applied and often hampered by the surgical difficulties. All paediatric (<19 years) patients with a restricted cardiomyopathy supported by a VAD from the EUROMACS database were included and compared to patients with a dilated cardiomyopathy (retrospective database analyses). Participating centres were retrospectively contacted to provide additional detailed echo and Swan Ganz measurements to analyse the effect of VAD support on pulmonary artery pressure and right ventricular function. Forty-four paediatric VAD-supported patients diagnosed with restricted cardiomyopathy were included, with a median age at implantation of 5.0 years. Twenty-six of the 44 patient with a restricted cardiomyopathy survived to transplantation (59.1%), 16 died (36.4%) and 2 are still on ongoing VAD support (4.5%) after a median duration of support of 95.5 days (interquartile range 33.3-217.8). Transplantation probability after 1 and 2 years of VAD support in patients with a restricted cardiomyopathy were comparable to patients with a dilated cardiomyopathy (52.3% vs 51.4% and 59.5% vs 60.1%, P = 0.868). However, mortality probability was higher in the restricted cardiomyopathy cohort (35.8% vs 17.0% and 35.8% vs 19.0%, P = 0.005). Adverse event rates were high (cerebrovascular accident in 31.8%, pump thrombosis in 29.5%, major bleeding 25.0%, eventual biventricular support in 59.1%). In the atrially cannulated group, cerebrovascular accident and pump thrombosis occurred in twice as much patients (21.1% vs 40.0%, P = 0.595 and 15.8% vs 40.0%, P = 0.464; probably non-significant due to the small numbers). Pulmonary arterial pressures improved after implantation of a VAD, and 6 patients who were initially labelled as ineligible due to pulmonary hypertension could eventually be transplanted. VAD support in children with a restricted cardiomyopathy is rarely performed. Mortality and adverse event rates are high. On the other hand, survival to cardiac transplantation was 59.1% with all patients surviving the 1st 30 days after cardiac transplantation. Pulmonary arterial pressures improved while on support, potentially making cardiac transplantation a viable option for previously ineligible children.

Neurexan Prescription Is Associated with Lower Risk of Sleep Disorder Recurrence and Depression Prevalence as Compared to Z-Drugs and Benzodiazepines: A Retrospective Database Analysis in Germany.

Real-world evidence on the association between natural medicinal products and the recurrence of sleep disorders is currently limited, particularly when compared to the evidence reported for prescription hypnotics. In a retrospective cohort analysis, we investigated patients with sleep disorders prescribed either the natural medicinal product Neurexan (Nx4), benzodiazepines, or nonbenzodiazepines (Z-drugs) using the IQVIA Disease Analyzer database, which encompasses electronic medical records nationwide in Germany. A 1:1 matching procedure based on age, sex, prevalent depression, anxiety or adjustment disorder, and the number of medical consultations in the past 12 months resulted in four cohorts: patients prescribed Nx4 were matched with those prescribed Z-drugs (two cohorts with 8594 matched patients each), and another cohort of patients prescribed Nx4 were matched with those prescribed benzodiazepines (7779 matched pairs). Results from multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models demonstrated that Nx4 was associated with a significantly lower risk of recurrent sleep disorder diagnosis within 30-365 days after prescription compared to both Z-drugs (HR = 0.65, 95%CI = 0.60-0.70, p < 0.001) and benzodiazepines (HR = 0.85, 95%CI = 0.79-0.93, p < 0.001). Additionally, Nx4 was associated with a lower prevalence of depression compared to Z-drugs (HR = 0.90, 95%CI = 0.83-0.98, p = 0.020) and benzodiazepines (HR = 0.89, 95%CI = 0.82-0.97, p = 0.009). These findings suggest an association between Nx4 and improved sleep and mental health outcomes. However, due to inherent limitations in the study design, the causality of this relationship cannot be stated.

Serious treatment-emergent adverse events in chronic low back pain patients treated with buprenorphine or oral opioids: a retrospective commercial claims analysis.

Aim: Explore the safety of Belbuca® (buprenorphine buccal film), buprenorphine transdermal patches and oral opioids for chronic low back pain (cLBP) treatment. Methods: The retrospective analysis of the MarketScan Commercial database (2018-2021) included treatment-naive cLBP adults. The first date of buprenorphine (Belbuca and transdermal patch) or opioid prescription was index date. Cohorts were defined based on the index medication. Observation included a 6-month pre-index period, while post-index lasted until the end of continuous insurance coverage. There were 44 relevant treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) identified in the literature. Incidence rate ratio (IRR) and incidence rate difference (IRD) were used to compare serious TEAE rates (in 1000 person-years) between cohorts. Propensity-score matching minimized the selection bias. Results: Buprenorphine had lower rates of 15 serious TEAEs than oral opioids (all p≤0.037), while higher rates only for serious dizziness (IRR 2.44, p=0.011; driven by Belbuca), opioid abuse/dependence (IRR 3.13, p=0.004; driven by patches) and cholecystitis (IRD 20.25, p=0.044; an outlier). Additionally, a comparison between Belbuca and oral opioids showed lower rates of 13 serious TEAEs (all p≤0.024) and a higher serious dizziness rate (IRR 3.17, p=0.024). Although the rates of serious opioid abuse/dependence were similar (24.60 vs 26.93, p=0.921), all Belbuca patients and none of the opioid patients had a positive history of these events. Belbuca also had lower rates of five serious TEAEs than transdermal patches (all p≤0.018), including a serious opioid abuse/dependence (IRR 0.04, p<0.001), but higher rates of serious cholecystitis (IRD 52.17, p=0.035; an outlier) and suicidal ideation (IRD 156.50, p<0.001; an outlier). Conclusion: Buprenorphine had a better safety profile than oral opioids in cLBP treatment. Belbuca showed a more favorable TEAE profile than buprenorphine transdermal patches and oral opioids.

Impact of COVID-19 on work loss in the United States- A retrospective database analysis

Objectives This study investigates the utilization of work absence benefits among United States (US) employees diagnosed with COVID-19, examining frequency, duration, cost, and types of work loss benefits used. Methods This retrospective analysis of the Workpartners Research Reference Database (RRDb) included employees eligible for short- and long-term disability (STD and LTD employer-sponsored benefits, respectively), and other paid work absence benefits from 2018 to 2022. Workpartners RRDb includes over 3.5 million employees from over 500 self-insured employers across the US. Employees were identified by codes from adjudicated medical and disability claims for COVID-19 (2020–2022) and influenza, as well as prescription claims for COVID-19 treatments. Associated payments were quantified for each absence reason. Results Approximately 1 million employees were eligible for employer-sponsored paid leave benefits between January 2018 and December 2022. The mean age was 37 years (22% >50 years), and 49.4% were females. COVID-19 was the 2nd most common reason for an STD claim (6.9% of all STD claims) and 13th for an LTD claim (1.7% of all LTD claims) from 2020–2022. The mean duration for COVID-19 STD claims was 24 days (N = 3,731, mean claim=$3,477) versus 10 days for influenza (N = 283, mean claim=$1,721). The mean duration for an LTD claim for COVID-19 was 153 days (N = 11, mean claim=$19,254). Only 21.5% of employees with STD claims in the COVID-19 cohort had prior COVID-19-associated medical or pharmacy claims; over half (range 53%–61%) had documented high risk factors for severe COVID-19. Conclusion COVID-19 and influenza have the potential to cause work loss in otherwise healthy employees. In this analysis, COVID-19 was the second most frequent reason for an STD claim at the start of the pandemic and remained high (ranked 5th) in 2022. These results highlight the impact of COVID-19 on work loss beyond the acute phase. Comprehensively evaluating work loss implications may help employers prioritize strategies, such as vaccinations and timely treatments, to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on employees and their companies.

The impact of norepinephrine dose reporting heterogeneity on mortality prediction in septic shock patients

BackgroundNorepinephrine (NE) is a cornerstone drug in the management of septic shock, with its dose being used clinically as a marker of disease severity and as mortality predictor. However, variations in NE dose reporting either as salt formulations or base molecule may lead to misinterpretation of mortality risks and hinder the process of care.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of the MIMIC-IV database to assess the impact of NE dose reporting heterogeneity on mortality prediction in a cohort of septic shock patients. NE doses were converted from the base molecule to equivalent salt doses, and their ability to predict 28-day mortality at common severity dose cut-offs was compared.Results4086 eligible patients with septic shock were identified, with a median age of 68 [57–78] years, an admission SOFA score of 7 [6–10], and lactate at diagnosis of 3.2 [2.4–5.1] mmol/L. Median peak NE dose at day 1 was 0.24 [0.12–0.42] μg/kg/min, with a 28-day mortality of 39.3%. The NE dose showed significant heterogeneity in mortality prediction depending on which formulation was reported, with doses reported as bitartrate and tartrate presenting 65 (95% CI 79–43)% and 67 (95% CI 80–47)% lower ORs than base molecule, respectively. This divergence in prediction widened at increasing NE doses. When using a 1 μg/kg/min threshold, predicted mortality was 54 (95% CI 52–56)% and 83 (95% CI 80–87)% for tartrate formulation and base molecule, respectively.ConclusionsHeterogeneous reporting of NE doses significantly affects mortality prediction in septic shock. Standardizing NE dose reporting as base molecule could enhance risk stratification and improve processes of care. These findings underscore the importance of consistent NE dose reporting practices in critical care settings.

Noradrenergic cardiac denervation is associated with gait velocity in Parkinson disease: a dual ligand PET study.

Preliminary data suggest that gait abnormalities in Parkinson disease (PD) may be associated with sympathetic cardiac denervation. No kinematic gait studies were performed to confirm this observation. We aimed to correlate spatiotemporal kinematic gait parameters with cardiac sympathetic denervation as determined by cardiac [11C]HED PET in PD. Retrospective database analysis of 27 PD patients with cardiac sympathetic denervation. All patients underwent spatiotemporal kinematic gait assessment (medication 'off' state), cardiac [11C]HED and dopaminergic brain [11C]DTBZ PET scans. We employed a hierarchical regression approach to examine associations between the extent of cardiac denervation, dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurodegeneration, and three gait parameters - velocity, step length and cadence. More extensive cardiac denervation was associated with slower velocity (estimate: -1.034, 95% CI [-1.65, -0.42], p = 0.002), shorter step length (estimate: -0.818, 95% CI [-1.43, -0.21], p = 0.011) and lower cadence (estimate: -0.752, 95% CI [-1.28, -0.23], p = 0.007) explaining alone 30% (Adjusted-R²: 0.297), 20% (Adjusted-R²: 0.202) and 23% (Adjusted-R²: 0.227) of the variability, respecivetly. These associations remained independent of striatal dopaminergic impairment and confounding factors such as age, Hoehn and Yahr (HY) stages, peripheral neuropathy, cognition, and autonomic symptoms. In contrast, striatal dopaminergic denervation was significantly associated with step length (estimate: 0.883, 95% CI [0.29, 1.48], p = 0.005), explaining about 24% of the variability but was dependent of HY stage. More severe cardiac noradrenergic denervation was associated with lower gait velocity, independent of striatal dopaminergic denervation and HY stage, impacting both step length and cadence. These results suggest independent contributions of the peripheral autonomic system degeneration on gait dynsfunction in PD.

Evolution and improved outcomes in the era of multimodality treatment for extended pancreatectomy.

The evolution and outcomes of extended pancreatectomies at a single institute over 15 years are presented in this study. A retrospective analysis of the institutional database was performed from 2015 to 2022 (period B). Patients undergoing extended pancreatic resections, as defined by the International Study Group for Pancreatic Surgery, were included. Perioperative and survival outcomes were compared with data from 2007-2015 (period A). Regression analyses were used to identify factors affecting postoperative and long-term survival outcomes. A total of 197 (16.1%) patients underwent an extended resection in period B compared to 63 (9.2%) in period A. Higher proportions of borderline resectable (5 (18.5%) versus 51 (47.7%), P = 0.011) and locally advanced tumours (1 (3.7%) versus 24 (22.4%), P < 0.001) were resected in period B with more frequent use of neoadjuvant therapy (6 (22.2%) versus 79 (73.8%), P < 0.001). Perioperative mortality (4 (6.0%) versus 12 (6.1%), P = 0.81) and morbidity (23 (36.5%) versus 83 (42.1%), P = 0.57) rates were comparable. The overall survival for patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma was similar in both periods (17.5 (95% c.i. 6.77 to 28.22) versus 18.3 (95% c.i. 7.91 to 28.68) months, P = 0.958). Resectable, node-positive tumours had a longer disease-free survival (DFS) in period B (5.81 (95% c.i. 1.73 to 9.89) versus 14.03 (95% c.i. 5.7 to 22.35) months, P = 0.018). Increasingly complex pancreatic resections were performed with consistent perioperative outcomes and improved DFS compared to the earlier period. A graduated approach to escalating surgical complexity, multimodality treatment, and judicious patient selection enables the resection of advanced pancreatic tumours.

Peripheral intravascular lithotripsy to facilitate transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement – Defining optimal treatable peripheral arterial disease burden

BackgroundTransfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TF-TAVR) has proven superior to alternative access. However, some patients evaluated for TF-TAVR are unfit secondary to peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Peripheral intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) can facilitate femoral access. This study aimed to characterize optimal lesions that can be treated with IVL. MethodsSingle-center, retrospective analysis of an institutional database, queried from 1/2018 through 7/2023 for all patients who underwent TAVR. Patients who received IVL-facilitated transfemoral access were analyzed. ResultsOf 2862 TAVR cases identified, 92 (3.2 %) underwent lithotripsy. The IVL-facilitated cohort had a mean age of 78 ± 9.2 years and 45 % were female. The right common iliac artery was most treated (47). Most IVL was performed with 7-mm balloons (73.9 %). All cases were successful. 30-day mortality was 1.1 % (1/92). ConclusionsIn our cohort, complications after IVL-facilitated TF-TAVR were more common with small vessel diameter (≤4.7 mm), significant luminal loss (>50 % stenosis), and heavy calcium burden (arc calcification >180°). The findings support the use of IVL to expand the population of patients who can undergo TF-TAVR without the increased risks associated with the various forms of alternative access. Summary for annotated table of contentsIVL-facilitated TF-TAVR is safe and feasible. Despite its introduction to TAVR clinical practice in 2018, IVL-facilitated TF-TAVR is not regularly performed and could increase the population of patients eligible for TF-TAVR.

First Rib Resection Using Videothoracoscopy in Patients With Vascular Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

ObjectiveThoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is composed of a series of signs and symptoms produced by compression of neurovascular structures in any of the anatomical spaces of the thoracic outlet. First rib resection is a therapeutic alternative to decompress the structures of the thoracic outlet at the costoclavicular space. Traditional surgical approaches include transaxillary, supraclavicular, and infraclavicular access. The objective was to describe the surgical experience and follow up results in first rib resection using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in vascular patients with TOS. MethodsObservational descriptive study based on a retrospective single centre analysis of a prospective database. Patients diagnosed with vascular TOS who underwent VATS first rib resection from January 2017 to December 2023 were included. The diagnosis for each subtype was based on the criteria defined in the standards of the American Society for Vascular Surgery in TOS. Among other things, the response to initial anticoagulation, peri-operative data, complications, symptom improvement, duration of post-operative anticoagulation, and symptom recurrence were investigated. ResultsTwenty nine patients diagnosed with vascular TOS who underwent VATS first rib resection, three of whom had bilateral procedures, were included. The total number of costal rib resections performed was 32 (31 venous TOS and one arterial TOS). Mean age was 29.1 ± 10.4 years and mean hospital stay was 2.7 ± 1.2 days. There were neither conversions to open surgery nor intra-operative complications. Two major post-operative complications (6.25%) were found. No recurrences were detected during mid-term follow up (median of 17.9 months, interquartile range 7.3, 45). ConclusionVATS first rib resection is a safe and feasible procedure. Unlike traditional approaches, this procedure allows physicians to make the resection under complete vision of the anatomical structures of the thoracic outlet reducing intra-operative complications and, if necessary, entire rib resection can be performed.

A comparative analysis of kidney allograft outcomes in steroid use versus steroid discontinuation after basiliximab and ATG induction: AUNOS database study.

The relative safety and efficacy of early steroid withdrawal in kidney transplant patients after basiliximab compared to anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) induction therapy is unknown. We aimed to compare kidney allograft outcomes in steroid use versus steroid discontinuation after basiliximab and ATG induction from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database. We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of the UNOS database and included first kidney transplant recipients who received ATG or basiliximab induction therapy. We compared graft and patient outcomes in those who received steroid maintenance and those who were discharged off steroids. Of 106,061 patients, 25,344 (86.7%) received basiliximab induction and were maintained on steroids (B-Sm), and 3,880 (13.3%) were on a steroid-free regimen (B-Sf). Graft failure rate was significantly higher in the B-Sf compared to B-Sm at 1-year (4.1 vs. 1.8%, p<0.001), 3-year (6.0 vs. 4.3%, p<0.001) and 5-year follow-up (7.7 vs. 6.4%, p=0.0004). The mortality rate was significantly higher in B-Sf at 1-year (3.3 vs. 2.4%, p=0.0005), 3-year (7.6 vs. 5.5%, p<0.001) and 5-year follow-up (11.5 vs. 8.8%, p<0.001) when compared to the B-Sm. 76,837 recipients received ATG induction therapy, 51,745 (72.4%) were on steroid maintenance therapy (A-Sm) and 25,092 (32.6%) were on a steroid-free regimen (A-Sf). The graft failure rate was significantly higher in A-Sf compared to A-Sm at 1-year follow-up (2.6 vs. 2.3%, p=0.0006), however, there was no difference at 3-year (5.0 vs. 5.0%, p=0.53) or 5-year follow-up (7.2 vs. 8.1%, p=0.17). There was no difference in mortality rates between A-Sf vs. A-Sm at 1 year (2.5 vs. 2.4%, p=0.98) and at 3 years (5.5 vs. 5.4%, p=0.45), respectively. Patients who were maintained on steroids after basiliximab induction had better 5-year allograft survival and patient survival compared to those who were not maintained on steroids. However, steroid maintenance conferred no additional benefit after ATG induction and was associated with higher mortality.

ROLE OF ENDOVASCULAR MANAGEMENT ON OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH TRAUMATIC INFERIOR VENA CAVA INJURIES

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to examine the association between the injury mechanism and repair type with outcomes in patients with traumatic inferior vena cava injuries. MethodsThis is a retrospective analysis of the ACS-TQIP database (2017-2020), including patients with traumatic IVC injuries. Patients were stratified by injury mechanism and type of repair and compared. ResultsOut of 1,334 patients, 5% underwent endovascular repair while 95% had an open procedure. Overall, 74.7% sustained a penetrating injury. On multivariable regression analysis, the type of repair was not associated with mortality and morbidity for patients with penetrating injuries. However, among patients with blunt injuries, endovascular repair was associated with lower odds of in-hospital mortality (aOR:0.35, p=0.020) and non-venous thromboembolism (VTE) morbidity (aOR:0.41, p=0.015), and higher odds of VTE complications (aOR:6.74, p<0.001). ConclusionsAlthough the type of repair did not impact morbidity and mortality in patients with penetrating injuries, endovascular repair was identified as the only modifiable predictor of reduced non-VTE morbidity and mortality in patients with blunt injuries.

Retrospective Database Analysis of Liver-Related Clinical Events in Adult and Pediatric Patients with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency in the United States.

Real-world analyses on burden of illness in patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) are limited. We investigated the real-world burden of liver-related clinical events among adult and pediatric patients with AATD in the USA. This was a retrospective, observational analysis of administrative claims data from the IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus and Ambulatory Electronic Medical Records databases from 2011 to 2022. Patients had a diagnosis of liver and/or lung disease with ≥180 days of continuous enrollment in the IQVIA PharMetrics Plus database before and ≥90 days after their first diagnosis. Follow-up time was assigned to the AATD with liver disease health state or AATD with both liver and lung disease health state (for patients aged ≥18 years only). Baseline demographic characteristics and liver-related clinical events of interest were reported. Of 5136 eligible patients, 771 adult and 123 pediatric patients contributed time to the AATD with liver disease health state; 541 adults contributed time to the AATD with both liver and lung disease health state. Among adults, patients with both liver and lung disease had higher rates of liver-related clinical events than patients with liver disease alone. Ascites was the most frequently observed clinical event among adults in both health states, and the median time to the composite of any liver-related clinical event was 26.5 days among all adults combined. Across all pediatric age groups, ascites, gastrointestinal bleed and hepatic encephalopathy were more common than spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and hepatocellular carcinoma, but median time to liver-related clinical event varied by age group at index date and type of event. No liver transplantations occurred in patients aged 6-17 years. Diagnosed AATD with liver disease carries a substantial burden on adult and pediatric patients; new treatment options are warranted to avoid disease progression to decompensating events.

Age-modified risk factors for mortality of non-elderly adult kidney transplant recipients: a retrospective database analysis.

We aimed to investigate the role of the recipient's age strata in modifying the associations between risk factors and mortality in non-elderly adult kidney transplant (KT) recipients (KTR). We stratified 108,695 adult KTRs between 2000 and 2016 with conditional 1-year survival after KT into cohorts based on age at transplant: 18-49years and 50-64years. We excluded KTRs aged < 18years or > / = 65years. KTRs were observed for 5years during the 2nd through 6th years post-KT for the outcome, all-cause mortality. Increasing recipient age strata (18-49-year-old and 50-64-year-old) correlated with decreasing 6-year post-KT survival rates conditional on 1-year survival (79% and 57%, respectively, p < 0.0001). Middle adult age stratum was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality than young adult age stratum in KTRs of Hispanic/Latino and other races [HR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.04-1.45 and HR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.16-1.97, respectively] and with a primary native renal diagnosis of hypertension or glomerulonephritis [HR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.12-1.55 and HR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.10-151, respectively]. When compared with the young adult age stratum, the middle adult age stratum had a mitigating effect on the higher risk of mortality associated with sirolimus-mycophenolate or sirolimus-tacrolimus than the standard calcineurin inhibitor-mycophenolate regimen [HR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.57-0.99 and HR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.57-0.89, respectively]. Among adult non-elderly KTRs, the age strata, 18-49years, and 50-64years, have varying modifying effects on the strength and direction of associations between some specific risk factors and all-cause mortality.